Montgomerie plays out of the rough on the sixth hole

Colin Montgomerie was pleased to have made the halfway cut in the Open Championship after a difficult start to the second round at Royal Birkdale.

The Scot recovered from two double bogeys and a triple bogey to finish the day eight under par on 75.

He said: "It's the worst start I think I've ever made in any event.

"I'm quite proud I managed to play the last 12 holes in two under, feeling the way I did walking off the sixth green, because that wasn't a great feeling."

Montgomerie's fellow Scots Barry Hume, Paul Lawrie and Douglas McGuigan will not play the final 36 holes after missing the cut.

Lawrie finished 10 under, Hume was two shots further behind while McGuigan finished the day 14 under.